As Senate minority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell has an opportunity to fill two spots on the five-member Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Congress has charged the FCC with the responsibility of enforcing broadcast decency law, which requires public airwaves be kept free of content inappropriate for children between 6 AM and 10 PM. “Appointments to the FCC are very important to all of us who want to keep prime-time TV and radio safe for our families,” said Phil Burress, president of Ohio’s Citizens for Community Values. Under former Chairman Kevin Martin, the FCC took an unprecedented stand for families by vigorously enforcing broadcast-decency laws. But regulation of decency soon may cease to be a priority for the FCC if the three vacancies are filled by people who do not share a concern for keeping the public airwaves family-friendly. —EPNS
